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Post by Canadian Atlantic Railway on Feb 1, 2015 19:30:39 GMT -5
Alco C628 seem to be a safe card, I don't know how reliable the stronger C630 and C636's were, with their more powerful engines, would the C628 be the way forward, or should I go for the C630's? Where I'm at now, I'm thinking SD9's, SD24's and C628 or C630's for the roadservice, with the H24-66 doing the switching, how does that sound, would it work? As always, any and all comments, ideas and suggestions are appreciated! If you look at the original C628 owners they ended up doing everything from yard service, heavy ore trains and fast freights. In the Withers Publishing six axle Century book ALCO themselves did a comparison between the C628 and C630 on a sales purposal for the Lehigh Valley. Long story short they figured that the extra 200hp that the C630 offered over the C628 would possibly save between 1 to 28 minutes between terminals. The LV went for the C628 at a savings of $9250 per unit.
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Post by Canadian Atlantic Railway on Feb 1, 2015 19:50:04 GMT -5
Good idea on the FM slugs John. SP had a C628 and C630 converted into slugs. Do a reversal of the SP and use the C628's for masters for FM based slugs. If you wish to use the Alco's and Trainmasters, here's a thought. Many iron hauling roads like the DMIR used big steam into the late 50's. I'd dieselize between the yards between 1950-1955 with EMD cow-calf sets, and between 1953 and 1957 with the SD-9's and Trainmasters for the road trains. Skip the SD-24, or finalize dieselization with a few in 1958. By the early 60's the switchers have proven to be under powered for the traffic, and many are retired with SD-9's doing the heavy yard work, in turn being replaced on the road with some C-628's. Retirements for the Trainmasters is started as well, with C-630's. The retired H-24-66's can be recycled as slugs, traded in on the Alco's, or both. Perhaps reusing the old FM trucks, like the N&W did on some of their C-630.
John
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 2, 2015 3:59:12 GMT -5
Sounds like a plan guys, trade ins, slugs and maybe B-units.... Anything to keep the shop workers busy....lol
Thanks!
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 2, 2015 7:39:14 GMT -5
These gave me ideas as well....love those Beeps! Photo: Tony Kimmel Photo: John Mallory Photo: John Sjollander Source: atsf.railfan.net/beep/
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 2, 2015 7:41:06 GMT -5
Double post....
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milw199
Superintendent
Beaded crossbucks FTW
Posts: 180
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Post by milw199 on Feb 5, 2015 8:42:36 GMT -5
The FMs weren't necessarily a nightmare. In Upper Michigan ore service, CNW kept their H16-66s around until the mid 1970s, when the C628s replaced them. They had either GE or Westinghouse electrical gear, so they were more durable in that area than a similar vintage EMD. NW kept some ex-VGN H24-66s in use until 1976, then chopped some down into yard slugs.
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 7, 2015 5:22:10 GMT -5
Cheers Mike, much obliged! As it is, I'm drawing the line at '76 and Conrail, maybe a bit earlier, '72-'73, so that I can use some of the Milwaukee Road's GP20's and SD10's... How does this sound, would it work...thinking that M&W bought the H24-66's (for use on the MI) in two batches of 10 in each, in '55 and in '57.. It was thinking of engine swapping, decided against it and opted for trade ins for more Alco C630's, on top of the 15 that they've already have. They'll trade in the first 10 and keep the remaining 10 for rebuilding program to Slugs and/or B-units... I don't know how many C630's they'd get in return, but they'd still be using the Trainmaster trucks...
What I have in my mind, that the MI Trainmasters looked like, the Wabash #595...
Source: condrenrails.com/Wabash/index.html and Mike Condren...
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Post by poweredby251 on Feb 7, 2015 19:48:21 GMT -5
If you want some of the Trainmasters to remain on the roster longer, follow the example of the Wabash. Repower them with Alco 251-16's. By doing this, they became 'Sorta' RSD-15's, but rated at 2250hp due to re-using the FM generators. Really the only visible difference was the exhaust stack. This would bring these more in line with the basic Alco fleet.
John
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 8, 2015 6:24:17 GMT -5
Much obliged John! Sounds interesting, any idea how it panned out for Wabash?
How does this look then gentlemen? 30 Alco C628's... 25 Alco C630's...another 10 for traded in Trainmasters, would that be correct? 50 EMD SD9's... 10 FM H24-66's...6 road units and 4 slugs/B-units, all repowered with 251-16's....or, should I do the 10 either way? 20 EMD SD24's... 8 EMD TR4A-B...
Is this a big enough engine roster for a 500ish miles iron ore railroad? changes? Additions?
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Feb 8, 2015 9:16:53 GMT -5
The Milwaukee liked the FMs as well for certain applications. They didnt roam the system as much as the EMDs did though. They tended to keep them at the same maintenance base around Milwaukee and the Twin Cities. That way the shop forces had the parts and expertise to keep them running. I wouldnt see an issue with your road having them, especially since they wouldnt roam too far from the maintenance shop.
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 8, 2015 12:02:11 GMT -5
Cheers for that Mike, appreciated! If you guys don't have anything add (I can't stretch enough, how much I appreciate all help, ideas and suggestions) to this roster, which is for my Michigan Interstate ore line, I can start to think of the next one, Milwaukee & Western... Being as influenced as I am, by the Milwaukee Road, we'll most likely find more FM's and Baldwins on that roster...
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Post by Canadian Atlantic Railway on Feb 8, 2015 13:26:22 GMT -5
Did you finalize the layout for your paint scheme for the MI? Have you picked up any units yet?
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 8, 2015 14:25:38 GMT -5
Just something simple, grey body with a thin yellow flash (saw them as decals somewhere) stripes on each end, black trucks and fuel tank... Wish I was more computer literate, to design lettering and a logo... lol Work something out... lol
Forgot, keeping an eye on the 'bay', for some SD9's, to start with...
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Post by Canadian Atlantic Railway on Feb 8, 2015 21:55:19 GMT -5
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 10, 2015 6:33:22 GMT -5
Nice pic, cheers! I'm still stuck inbetween....slugs or B-units! lol
I like this pic as well
RRPictureArchives.net and Brian Wodruff..
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Post by m a y o r 79 on Feb 10, 2015 13:08:50 GMT -5
Weren't slugs typically used for long slow and heavy drag freights? That seems to be what I recall anyway. Iron ore could be considered a long slow heavy drag freight that could warrant slugs.
I agree that's a neat picture, would be cool to model those.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 10, 2015 13:27:20 GMT -5
That picture about 9 to 10 years ago prompted me to buy a Stewart C630 and some Atlas TM trucks. I successfully transplanted the trucks and then sold the project to Mike Rose. I think he still has it. I do not think he ever did anything with it though.
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Post by Canadian Atlantic Railway on Feb 10, 2015 15:55:56 GMT -5
Do you remember if the trucks were a direct fit Brian?
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Post by Milwaukee Road 513 on Feb 11, 2015 5:27:12 GMT -5
Nice haul there mate!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2015 7:50:13 GMT -5
Do you remember if the trucks were a direct fit Brian? No it is not a direct fit. Some bolster modification had to be done. Not a lot though. Definitely easy if you have the proper tools and it did not take very long to get the mods done.
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